<p>Chikkamagaluru: In a bid to operationalise the lease agreement for the Devadari iron ore mine in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) has decided to hand over 282 acres of land, including its Kudremukh township in Chikkamagaluru district, to the forest department.</p>.<p>Mining operations began in Kudremukh in 1977, and a township was built there for employees. Over 6,000 employees and their families once lived there. The township had houses, government school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, a hospital, playground, market, cinema hall, sports stadium and clubhouse.</p>.<p>The Supreme Court ordered suspension of mining in 2005 and it officially stopped in 2006. Following this, employees were relocated. The township still has houses, offices and schools. Some buildings are being used by the forest department, and the hospital and school continue to serve local people.</p>.Residents of Banashankari protest against Lingadheeranahalli waste plant.<p>Now, as KIOCL seeks to operationalise the forest lease for Devadari mine in Sandur, the department has decided not to transfer forest land there until the recommendations of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), related to forest destruction during mining in Kudremukh, are implemented. The KIOCL has initiated steps to hand over the township land to forest department.</p>.<p> “Kudremukh still has a government school, small marketplace and agriculture activities. If this land is completely handed over, locals will face difficulties. Residents of Nellibeedu, Jamble, Singsar and Biligallu around Kudremukh will be deprived of facilities. People who supported the company for 30 years should not be pushed to hardships,” locals said. </p>.<p>“Kudremukh had what was considered the first planned township in Asia. But the government failed to utilise the facilities. Now, bowing to pressure from the department, the firm is preparing to hand over land,” they said.</p>.<p>“When the company’s operations in Kudremukh were halted, infrastructure here should have been put to use to benefit locals. Land acquired from farmers for mining should be returned to them. It should also be given to daily wagers who toiled there. The company itself should take responsibility for maintaining Lakhya dam,” said activist Kalkuli Vittal Hegde.</p>
<p>Chikkamagaluru: In a bid to operationalise the lease agreement for the Devadari iron ore mine in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) has decided to hand over 282 acres of land, including its Kudremukh township in Chikkamagaluru district, to the forest department.</p>.<p>Mining operations began in Kudremukh in 1977, and a township was built there for employees. Over 6,000 employees and their families once lived there. The township had houses, government school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, a hospital, playground, market, cinema hall, sports stadium and clubhouse.</p>.<p>The Supreme Court ordered suspension of mining in 2005 and it officially stopped in 2006. Following this, employees were relocated. The township still has houses, offices and schools. Some buildings are being used by the forest department, and the hospital and school continue to serve local people.</p>.Residents of Banashankari protest against Lingadheeranahalli waste plant.<p>Now, as KIOCL seeks to operationalise the forest lease for Devadari mine in Sandur, the department has decided not to transfer forest land there until the recommendations of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), related to forest destruction during mining in Kudremukh, are implemented. The KIOCL has initiated steps to hand over the township land to forest department.</p>.<p> “Kudremukh still has a government school, small marketplace and agriculture activities. If this land is completely handed over, locals will face difficulties. Residents of Nellibeedu, Jamble, Singsar and Biligallu around Kudremukh will be deprived of facilities. People who supported the company for 30 years should not be pushed to hardships,” locals said. </p>.<p>“Kudremukh had what was considered the first planned township in Asia. But the government failed to utilise the facilities. Now, bowing to pressure from the department, the firm is preparing to hand over land,” they said.</p>.<p>“When the company’s operations in Kudremukh were halted, infrastructure here should have been put to use to benefit locals. Land acquired from farmers for mining should be returned to them. It should also be given to daily wagers who toiled there. The company itself should take responsibility for maintaining Lakhya dam,” said activist Kalkuli Vittal Hegde.</p>